The Los Angeles Angels are starting to get healthy, Trout making progress

The Los Angeles Angels have again had a plethora of injuries in 2017, but unlike 2016 the team is still managing to stay in contention for a wild-card spot as they currently sit at 36-37 only 1.5 games behind Minnesota and Tampa Bay.

The Los Angeles Angels season has been one of many peaks and valleys but the team has held strong and now they are starting to get some reinforcements as the many players who have been on the disabled list are now returning. Yunel Escobar and Cameron Maybin have returned in recent weeks and are both on hot streaks, especially Maybin.

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Escobar has hit .295 with two homers and five RBI’s with a .348 OBP since returning from the DL on June 1st. Maybin has been even more spectacular since coming off the DL on June 9th as he has batted a blistering .385 with a .415 OBP with one homer and two RBI’s with eight stolen bases.  Both have been key in making up for the loss of two-time MVP Mike Trout who has been on the disabled list since May 29th after tearing a ligament in his left thumb that will keep him out until at least early July.

Relievers Cam Bedrosian is now back with the club and Huston Street is not far behind.  Another key player that is making progress is lefty Tyler Skaggs, who is trying to make his way back from strained right oblique muscle.  Skaggs is heading to Arizona today to continue his rehab and his next step is to go on a rehab assignment.  His tentative return date is mid-July.

Skaggs will provide a major boost to the pitching staff, not unlike a trade deadline deal.  Matt Shoemaker should also be back by the end of the month and that will also help the pitching staff as well.

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As for Mike Trout he was seen in the outfield during pre-game throwing and catching fly balls this weekend during the Royals series.  In a dugout interview Saturday Trout said “It’s getting better each day I just let the doctors tell when I can take the next step,” Trout said. “I will be going on the road trip to the East Coast and we will see what happens from there.”

According to Angels manager Mike Scioscia, Trout will begin hitting today during pre-game, but the plan is still for Trout to remain out until after the All-Star Break, but that could change depending on his progress.

Trout has publicly said that his goal is to be back before the All-Star Break we will just have to wait and see what happens.  For now the Angels are content go with Maybin in center and have Eric Young Jr. and Ben Revere hold down the left field position which has mostly been left to Young Jr. since he has played so well overall.

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Young Jr. is hitting .323 with three homers and 10 runs batted in 62 at-bats.  He has also scored 14 runs and stolen six bases with a .417 OBP while making many spectacular plays in the outfield. When I asked Trout about Young Jr.’s play in his absence Trout was very complementary.

“EY has been doing a great job since I’ve been out. He has been in the league before so he knows how to handle things,” Trout said. “He is just doing what he can not trying to do too much. he has been coming up huge for us making great plays on defense and obviously at the plate as well.”

“He has been doing well and the team has been winning which is the most important and he has been a big part in that,” Trout added.

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So let’s see how the Angels do until the All-Star Break when they should most all of their main pieces back from injuries with the exception of Garrett Richards.  Richards’ timetable for returning is still unknown as he has not picked up a baseball since going on the DL in early April.